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“I’ll make those gutless pricks suffer tenfold for what they did to you,” Beck vowed.
Gloria’s lashes fluttered. A low moan rose from her throat before she lifted her puffy, purple lids and peered at him. “Ken?”
Beck kissed her forehead. “Shh. It’s me, sweetheart. You’re safe now and you’re going to be fine. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“You already know you can’t protect every woman you care about,” she slurred from between split lips. “I’m alive. The bastards didn’t win.”
“They didn’t,” he assured as he watched her slide back into a drug-induced oblivion.
A few minutes later, Gloria woke again. “Christ, I hurt. Do I look as bad as I feel?”
“No,” he lied. “You look like a million.”
“Oh, god,” she groaned. “It must be worse than I thought if you’re feeding me that bullshit.”
“At least you still have your sense of humor.” Then he sobered. “When you feel up to it, the police will want to question you. Do you know who did this? Customers maybe?”
“No. I’ve never seen either of these guys.”
“How much do you remember?”
“Unfortunately, all of it—until they knocked me out. Whatever they wanted, they wanted it bad. And I don’t think it was cash. They seemed almost disappointed when I finally gave them the previous night’s take, which was fat. The tall, ugly asshole kept asking me for papers. When I told him I didn’t know what he meant and that I kept most everything important in a safety deposit box, he got pissed and slammed the butt of his gun to my head.”
Papers? Title to her car? Deed to her house? Beck had no idea what they meant. “Good god.”
“When I finally came to, my place was a wreck and the two clowns were gone. I managed to work my hands free, crawl to the phone, and call Buddy before I passed out again.”
If not disgruntled clients or competitors, who the hell would have done this to her? Who had an axe to grind? Beck had to find out if he intended to make them pay.
Days bled into one another before Gloria was finally released from the hospital. Once home, frustration and anger left her perpetually irritated. Beck couldn’t really blame her. Helpless wasn’t in her vocabulary, but she was trapped in her broken body. She even needed help to walk to the bathroom. Buddy hovered protectively. He meant well…but it didn’t improve Gloria’s mood.
The only thing that kept him sane was daily texts with Heavenly.
During Gloria’s second week of recovery, he sat in the living room while she napped, thanking god her disposition had finally taken a brighter turn. The chime he’d assigned on his cell phone to Heavenly pealed. Fuck, he missed the girl fiercely. He wouldn’t leave Gloria while she needed him, but he was counting the days until he could return to LA—and Heavenly.
Just wanted to say hi, her message read.
A goofy grin tugged one corner of his mouth as he tapped a reply. Hi back. How’s it going there?
The usual. Work, work, work.
“Not good, little girl.” He tsked as his fingers flew across the keys. You need to balance yourself with plenty of rest, too.
How is your friend doing today?
He noticed she didn’t acknowledge his command. A bit better.
Coming back soon?
She wanted him there. Because she missed him as much as he missed her? He hoped so because it would really suck if he were the only one mentally replaying each minute they’d spent together.
I’m hoping to be back in no more than a week. I still have another surprise for you.
What?
He’d love to text back dirty details of all the “fun” they could have if she were naked and splayed out on his bed. Instead, he told her, You’ll have to wait and see. It’s a date when I get back, right?
Absolutely. Oops. Gotta go. Incoming patients. Talk soon. She ended with a winking emoji.
Too bad there wasn’t an emoji for horny doctor giving his girl hours of pleasure. He’d send her that one. Since there wasn’t, he simply tucked his phone away, unable to wipe the grin off his face.
“How is Heavenly?” Gloria asked without even opening her eyes.
“Good.”
She smiled. “This is hardly the right time, but I’d love to meet her someday.”
Beck pulled at the back of his neck, trying not to grimace. “Someday, maybe. But, um…”
“You haven’t told her we’re married?”
The woman knew him too well. Guilt crawled up his spine.
“Of course you haven’t.” She gave an absent wave of her hand. “What was once so logical and simple is now so complicated.”
“Exactly. I don’t know where this thing with Heavenly is going but…”
Gloria grimaced as she struggled upright and patted the cushion beside her. She wanted to talk. More accurately, she had something to say and wanted him to listen. With a sigh, he crossed the room and eased down beside her.
